page_title: Rise of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire
section_title: Serbs
hierarchical_section_title: Rise of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire / Serbs
caption_attribution_description: English: Orašac assembly - beginning of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804. Српски / srpski: Zbor u Orašcu - početak Prvog srpskog ustanka 1804. godine.
context_page_description: The rise of the Western notion of nationalism under the Ottoman Empire eventually caused the breakdown of the Ottoman millet concept. An understanding of the concept of the nationhood prevalent in the Ottoman Empire, which was different from the current one as it was centered on religion, was a key factor in the decline of the Ottoman Empire.
context_section_description: The Serbian national movement represents one of the first examples of successful national resistance against the Ottoman rule. It culminated in two mass uprisings at the beginning of the 19th century, leading to national liberation and establishment of the Principality of Serbia. One of the main centers of this movement was the Sanjak of Smederevo ("Belgrade Pashaluk") which became the core of the reestablished Serbian national state.
  A number of factors contributed to its rise. Above all the nucleus of national identity was preserved in the form of the Serbian Orthodox Church which remained autonomous in one form or another throughout the period of Ottoman occupation. Adherence to Orthodox Christianity is still considered an important factor in ethnic self-determination. The Serbian Church preserved links with the medieval Serbian past, keeping the idea of national liberation alive.
  The other group of factors stem from regional political events during the period of Ottoman rule, the 17th and 18th centuries in particular. The Austrian wars against the Ottoman Empire resulted in periods of Austrian rule in central Serbia (in 1718–39 and 1788–92), thus, the turn of the 19th century had saw relatively recent experience of European rule. Although the territory of northern Serbia had first reverted to Ottoman rule according to the Treaty of Belgrade, the region saw almost continuous conflict during the 18th century. As a result, the Ottomans never established full feudal order in the Belgrade Pashaluk, and free peasants owning small plots of land constituted the majority of population. Furthermore, most of the leaders of future armed rebellions earned valuable military knowledge serving in Austrian irregular troops, freikorps. The proximity of the Austrian border provided the opportunity of getting the needed military material. The Serbian leaders could also count on financial and logistic support of fellow Serbs living in relative prosperity in the Austrian Empire.
  The immediate cause for the start of the First Serbian Uprising (1804–13) was mismanagement of the province by renegade Janissary troops (known as Dahije) who had seized power. While the Serbian population first rose up against the Dahije, their quick success fueled the desire of national liberation and led to a full-fledged war. Though unsuccessful, this rebellion paved the way for the Second Serbian Uprising of 1815, which eventually succeeded. 
  Serbia became a center of resistance to Ottomans, actively or secretly supporting liberation movements in neighboring Christian-inhabited lands, especially Bosnia, Herzegovina and Macedonia. The Serbian–Ottoman conflict culminated in the First Balkan War of 1912.
caption: Orašac assembly - beginning of the First Serbian Uprising in 1804.
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